of note among the apostles, who also were in Chrift before me. IN N the 5th place,, he faluteth Andronicus and Junia, upon a fourfold account; 1. That they were his kinsfolks: 2. His fellow prifoners, when he was imprisoned for the caufe of Chrift at Philippi, Acts xvi. or elsewhere; 3. They are of note a mong the apoftles; that is, much accounted of, and very highly efteemed, by the apofties; and, 4. They were in Chrift before him; they were converted to the gofpel of Christ, and by faith united to him, before himself.. OBSERVATIONS. I. True Christianity banisheth not away all natural affection, but rather ftrengtheneth and purgeth the fame; Paul forgetteth cot his natural acquaintances and kinsfolk, in his falutations: Salute Andronicus and Junius my kinfmen. II. As all the followers of Chrift muft refolve to quit their liberty for the caufe of Christ, and to be caft into prisons, like dogs put into a kennel; fo whofoever endureth any thing of this kind, for a teftimony unto the truth, fhould be highly efteemed of by one and other. This Andronicus and Junia were prifoners for the truth, and now Paul will not pass them by, but will have them accounted of by the Romans: And fellow-prifoners. III. It is much to the commendation of Chriftians, that they are much thought of by the eminent fervants of Chrift, altho' all the world elfe fhould have finiftrous thoughts of them (as ufually it cometh to pafs;) it is faid of Andronicus and Junia that they are of note among the apoftles; and therefore he faluteth them. IV. The fooner any have clofed a bargain with Chrift, and turned their backs upon the world, and the vanities thereof, the greater matter of commendation is it for them: They were in Chrift before me. V. True Chriftians have a near and clofe conjunction with Chrift, not only by profeffion, but also by a true and lively faith, uniting them unto Chrift, in a most clofe, real and fpiritual manner, as to their Head, Husband and Root; thefe Chriftians are faid to be in Chrift. VI. True grace, where-ever it is, will prompt a man to commend grace, whereever it is, and not stick to do it in fuch a manner as may serve to abase themselves, if it may tend to God's glory; thus gracious Paul fpares not to tell, that Andronicus and Funia were in Chrift before himfelf: Who alfo were in Chrift before me. VII. However men of this world delight in vain and empty titles and ftiles, yet the titles that ferve to hold forth the true and divine honour of Chriftians, are of a far other nature, and taken from what the men of this world would account bafenefs, fuch as their prifon-houfes and fuffering condition, and their believing in Chrift, and starting foon to the way of believing; upon fuch accounts as these he commendeth Andronicus and Junia. OBSERVATIONS. I. Our love towards Chriftians, ought to run in a christian channel, and fhould be truly chriftian, flowing from grace, and from love to Christ, and fo, running out towards fuch as favour of grace and look like Chrift, in carrying his image of holinefs upon them; thus Amplias is his belov ed in the Lord. II. The help and concurrence that any give for the carrying on of the work of the gofpel, and the intereft of the kingdom of Chrift, fhould endear them to the hearts of all the truly godly; and it is no little tittle of honour (whatever the world think of it) to be filed one who is a helper in Chrift's work: Urbane is thus honoured with the ftile of being a helper in Christ. III. The intimate familiarity and christian friendship that is among Chriftians, fhould not be forgotten; and the more intimate any be with the precious and eminent fervants of Chrift, the more fhould they be accounted of with other Chriftians: Stachys is called bis beloved. IV. It is a noble and high commendation to be a fincere and honeft-hearted Chriftian, and one who hath Chrift's approbation and teftimony, and is a known and an approven friend to Chrift and his caufe: Apelles is approved in Christ. V. Grace is moft free in its choice, and moft powerful where it cometh to overcome ftrong impediments: grace can pafs over the mafter of a family, and take the fervants and others by the heart, and can draw the houthold in to Chrift, tho' they have no encouragement, but rather much difcouragement, from the head of the family: there is here fome good Chriftians in the houshold of Ariftobulus, tho' we hear no word of himfelf: Salute them of Ariftobulus' boufhold; and there are fome good Chriftians in the houfe of Narciffus, who was a rich, carnal wretch, and no friend to Chriflianity. VI. Chriftian acquaintance, love and familiarity goeth much by grace; tho' grace. putteth not away humanity and natural affection, yet chriftian love can pick out true Chriftians from others, and exprefs itfelf towards them: Tho' he will not forget his kinfman Herodion, yet he can pick out fuch of the houshold of Narciffus as were in the Lord, and milken the rest: Greet them which be of the houfold of Narciffus, which are in the Lord. VERSES 12. 13. 14. 15. Salute Tryphena and Tryphofa, who labour in the Lord Salute the beloved Perfis, which laboured much in the Lord. Salute Rufus chofen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. Salute Afyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them. Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his fifter, and Olympas, and all the faints which are with them. HE faluteth in the 13th place, Try phena and Tryphofa, women, who laboured in the Lord, who were useful and steadable to the followers of Chrift; 14thy, Perfis, a more eminent woman, and fo called one beloved, and one who laboured much in the Lord; 15thly, Rufus chofenin the Lord, one whom God hath chofen and fignally endued; 16thly, and his mother, who was alfo a loving, tender hearted woman unto Paul, and as his mother; 17thly, He nameth other five together; Afyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, and Hermes; 18thly, He faluteth the brethren which are with them, in their houfholds or company; 19thly, He faluteth another company of inferior Christians, whom yet he would not forget altogether, fuch as Philologus, Julia (it may be his wife,) Nereus, and his fifter, and Olympas; 20thly, He faluteth the faints that are with them, in their company and fellowfhip. OBSERVATIONS. I. The kindness fhown unto the meffengers gers of the gospel, and to the profeffors | faints, whom the apoftle thinks not fit to thereof, when done out of christian love name, fave under thefe generals of brethren and affection, will be taken as fervice for and faints. the Lord Jefus's intereft, and accounted a labouring in the Lord's work, and fuching fhould be highly accounted of: Tryphena and Tryphofa are faid thus to labour in the Lord, and therefore faluted. 1. The more eminent any are, in doing good unto the church of God, the higher room fhould they have in the eftimation of the godly, and the more highly fhould they be commended; fo Perfs. is called beloved, and one who laboured much in the Lord. III. God's making choice of any as his, and enduing them with fingular gifts, graces and endowments, whereby their profeffion is adorned, fhould fingularly commend them unto the chriftian affection of true believers: Salute Rufus chofen in the Lord. IV. Tho' grace be no heirship, nor tied to any lineal defcent; yet it feemeth good in the Lord's eyes, to feparate for himfelf both mother and for fometimes, 2 Tim. i. 5. which is an excellent thing to fee; And his mother, a gracious woman doubt lefs. V. The kindly, tender and loving difpofition of any, to the eminent fervants of Chrift, as it should not be forgotten, so it fhould provoke other Chriftians to have high and honourable thoughts of fuch: His mother and mine. VI. True grace will not mifken the meaneft Chriftians, but will have a high efli mation of them, tho' they be not of the eminenteft fort: Thus Paul reckoneth up a number together, whom he only nameth and faluteth: Afyncritus, Phlegon, &c. VII. Tho' it be no fmall piece of honour to be received publicly, as a Chriftian; yet that piece of honour is not to be doted on, but folks fhould go to heaven with great contentment, tho' in obfcurity, and without any notable obfervation; for here there is a number of brethren and VIII. It is more than probable, that feePaul, in all this catalogue of perfons whom he here faluteth, maketh no menti on of Peter, that Peter was not there at this time; and fo it cannot be true which' Papifts fay, viz. that Peter was bifhop at Rome twenty-five years before his mar-tyrdom.. VERSE 16. Salute one another with an holy kifs. The churches of Chrift falute you. N fine, he exhorteth them to reality of love among themfelves: Their civil manner of faluting one another was with a kifs; now, he would not have them formal or complementing in this, but real, holy and chriftian; the thing that he enjoineth, is not the custom, but the holy and chriftian ufe of the cuftom: Salute one another with an holy kifs. See the like, 1 Cor. xvi. 20. 2 Cor. xiii. 12. 1 Theff. v. 26. 1 Pet. V. 14. In the next place, he faluteth them in the name of others; and here is one word in the general, The churches of Chrift, in thofe bounds of Macedonia and Achaia, falute you. : OSBERVATIONS. I. It is a heartfome and defirable fight, to fee brethren dwelling together in unity, peace and love, and therefore fhould be earnestly ftudied by all, and preffed by the fervants of Chrift, as that which will further the work of the gospel among them; thus he exhorteth them, in the end of this epiftle, to falute one another with an holy kifs. See the places cited in the explanation. II. The ufual customs of exprefling our mutual love and refpect to one another, fhould not be ufed by us in a flattering manner, as was ufed by Abfalom; nor in a diffembling manner, as was Joab's; nor in a a treacherous manner, as was Judas's nor in an impudent, unchafte manner, as the whores manner is, Prov. vii. but chriftian, holy, fincere, really expreffing the inward affection of the heart: Salute one another with an boly kifs. III. Sweet harmony, unity and mutual expreffions of kindness and familiarity, ought to be amongst the feveral churches of Chrift, wishing one another well, and expreffing their affections to one another, as occafion is offered; The churches of Chrift falute you. VERSE 17. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which caufe divifions and of fences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them. IN OBSERVATIONS. I. In the church of God there will be always fome perfons of pernicious principles and practices, working woe and deftruction to the poor church of Christ, by broaching falfe and damnable doctrine, and caufing rents, fchifms and divifions, by leading factions, fects and parties: the apoftle knew there would be in this church fuch as aufe divifions and offences; and fuch were in the churches of Galatia and Theffalonica, and others. II. As divifions and fchifms in a church are fcandalous and offenfive in themselves, being matter of tumbling unto many, and the occafion of much evil unto a poor church; fo ordinarily fuch as make rents and divifions in a church, and by falfe doctrine corrupt and Teal away the minds of en, are left of God, and walk fcandalously otherways, piety not being confiftent with dividing principles; thefe go together, cause divifions and offences. III. It is no new thing to fee fuch pernicious and peftilent perfons in a church, who are driving on corrupt defigns, renting a poor church, putting on a fair vi cious pretexts, that they may hide their poifon, and carry on their defigus more fecurely; for fuch must be fought out, narrowly marked, and their ways fiftedand fifred over again, that the hidden trea chery may be made to appear: Mark fuch." N the third place, there is a very neceffary duty which he would not have them forget; and therefore he cafts it in here, that it might be the more noticed, and preffeth it on them very seriously, with I beseech you, brethren, fpeaking to them all, both officers and others, because the duty in fome refpect concerned all the members of that conftituted church. Nowzard, and colouring their actions with spethe duty thus preffed is, to mark; that is, to obferve diligently, to fcout out as men on a watch tower: Them that caufe divifions; that is, fuch as caufe rents and fchifms in the church: and offences; fcandalous livers, and fcandalous teachers, as heretics, and the like: contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; fuch as teach and walk, carrying themfelves as heretics and falfe teachers, contrary to the true doc trine which had been taught them: and avoid them; that is, after fuch incorrigible perfons are legally convicted, let the officers of the church draw forth the fword of excommunication against them, and pronounce them unclean, and fuch as fhould be fhuned, and then let all the rest of the church withdraw themselves from keeping any Christian fellowship or familiarity with them. IV. The more that fuch dangerous and corrupt perfons in a church labour to carry on their purposes and defigns under board, coveredly, and in a clandeftine hid manner, the more accurately and fearchingly fhould their ways be examined, fifted and tried by the judicatories of the church, and fuch as are fet upon the watch-tower to defcry and difcover adverfaries and all their motions: Mark fuch as caufe divifions. V. There is great neceffity lying upon all interested, to discover fuch deadly adverfaries to the church of Chrift; and the watchmen efpecially fhould ufe all dili gence gence, as they love the welfare and standing of the church of Chrift, to difcover the motions of fuch, and the pernicioufnefs of their practices, and fo to difcover them, as that the church may be keeped from kaith, and may be guarded against their wiles: Paul befeecheth them to mark fuch; he knew the great neceflity of it, and therefore preffeth them to it the more earneftly; I beseech you, brethren, mark fuch. VI. When a church has once drunk in the fincere milk of the word, and have laid a fure foundation of folid truth, and received the doctrine of truth, they should, by all means, labour to ftand to these principles, and not be fhaken with every wind of temptation of contrary doctrine, and make that a standard, by which to try all new doctrine; and they ought to reject whatsoever is contrary thereunto: therefore fays he, Contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned. VII. Separation from an erroneous and idolatrous church, where ftaying ftill will neceffarily entangle in fin, is not here condemned; but a feparation or fchifm made in a church, where the true foundation of christian doctrine is laid and maintained: Contrary to the doctrine which ye have received. VIII. There is fuch a cenfure to be used in the church, as is the fentence of excommunication against offenders, whofe offences and carriage are dangerous to the church of God; the church officers ought to denounce this fentence again ft contumacious and incorrigible, dangerous offenders within the church, and avoid them; this must suppose a sentence of the church go. ing before, according to Chrift's rule, Matth. xviii. 17. If he hear not the church, then is he to be accounted as a heathen man, and a publican. See 1 Cor. v. 5. with 2 Cor. ii. 6. 2 Theff. ii. 14. Paul is here fpeaking to a conftituted church, and he will not lay down a way of confufion and division, (especially when speaking fo much against thefe evils;) by allowing each man, at his own hand, to withdraw from all fuch in the church, whom he fuppofeth to be teachers of error; and therefore, he clearly fuppofeth, that the offender must be first convicted, found guilty, and condemned, before the particular members of the church forbear chriftian communion with him, for making him ashamed. IX. The fentence of excommunication ought to be drawn forth, as against such who are guilty of attrocious crimes, efpecially if impenitent, 1 Cor. v. so against fuch who broatch false doctrine, to the hurt of the church, and cause sad rents and fchifms in the church, to the distracting and undoing thereof: Such as caufe divifi ons and offences, fhould be thus avoided. X. As this executing of the cenfure of excommunication, is a mean appointed of Chrift, for the reclaiming and gaining of the offending perfon, 1 Cor. v. 5. fo, for the preferving of the church of Chrift in unity and purity, and keeping out of wolves, that feek the ruin thereof; He would have fuch as caufe divifions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which they had learned, cut off and avoided, and there by the church keeped in unity among themfelves, and in purity of doctrine. XI. When once the fentence of excommunication is pronounced againft a contumacious offender, by the judicatures of the church, it is then the duty of all the particular members of the church, as they tender the fafety of the church, the good of their own fouls, and the falvation of the offending brother, to fhun all church-fellowfhip with fuch, and to forbear familiar converfing and correfpondence with them; And avoid them. See 2 John 10. |